Remington 870 wingmaster

[Norva]

Remington 870 wingmaster just got one. I wondering what the difference is and would i still be able to tact it out? I got it used at a really good price. I'm going to get the receiver duracoated and want to get a collapsable stock for it from Mesa. I need to know if there are problems with do this to the wingmaster. Thanks Guys!:D

[NoBody]

Deleted.

[SRG]

Slight correction; Wilson uses the 870 Express for their base gun.

You should have no problem doing what you want to do to the Wingmaster. Many police departments still use Wingmasters. Wingmasters will most likely have a 2 3/4" chamber. Newer guns will have a 3" chamber. You can have the barrel shortened to 18 1/2" and have choke tubes installed or Vang Comped. You should consider having the Flex-Tab update kit installed. You should have the gun gone through and possibly have the shell stops replaced and maybe even the ejector.

There are many things you can do to the 870 Wingmaster and with minimal updating, you can have a good HD gun. Shoot lots.

[Norva]

Slight correction; Wilson uses the 870 Express for their base gun.

You should have no problem doing what you want to do to the Wingmaster. Many police departments still use Wingmasters. Wingmasters will most likely have a 2 3/4" chamber. Newer guns will have a 3" chamber. You can have the barrel shortened to 18 1/2" and have choke tubes installed or Vang Comped. You should consider having the Flex-Tab update kit installed. You should have the gun gone through and possibly have the shell stops replaced and maybe even the ejector.

There are many things you can do to the 870 Wingmaster and with minimal updating, you can have a good HD gun. Shoot lots.
what is the Flex-Tab update kit? The 2 and 3/4" chamber is just a matter of replacing the barrel correct? What is Vang Comped. Sorry, this is a my first shotgun. Thanks for the help guys

[SRG]

The Flex-Tab Update Kit allows one to clear a jam easier in the case of a double-feed situation. The lifter has a "tab" cut into it in the shape of a "U". This allows the lifter to spring somewhat and prevents a solid lockup in the case of a jam. The kit should include the lifter on the fire control, the breech bolt, the sled and the action bars. The breech bolt has a relief cut into the underside that will correspond with the lifter "U" to ease clearing. The sled, that part that the bolt rides on, and the action bars have an extra cutout, whose function I am not sure of.

Simply adding a barrel with a 3" chamber will not work. You must have the ejector removed and an ejector designed for the 3" shell installed. It's longer obviously.

When you cut your barrel for HD, assuming it is 26" or longer, you will lose your choke. The barrel becomes cylinder bore. Unless you're fine with that, you'll want to add some kind of choke back to the barrel. With the Vang Comp. System, or Vang compensating system, your cylinder bore barrel has the forcing cone lengthened, the bore enlarged and polished, and ports installed near the muzzle.

One by one; (1) Normal forcing cones, that part right after the chamber, are very abrupt. The transition from chamber to bore is very short. Lenghtening this area and polishing it better eases the transition of the shot into the bore. This means less shot deformation which results in better patterning. Some say this results in less felt recoil.

(2) The bore is enlarged, or backbored, and polished to just short of the muzzle, which, in effect, will give you constriction, or choke, at the muzzle. This yields a modified choke, which will allow you to shoot slug or buckshot. You don't want too tight a choke when shooting slug.

(3) The ports near the muzzle, if desired, will allow for quicker follow-up shots on the target.

One can expect patterns of 10" to 12" at 25 yards with 00 Buck and 2" to 3" at 50 yards with slugs.

[markm]

Isn't the Wingmaster a premium gun to the Express?

[Norva]

The Flex-Tab Update Kit allows one to clear a jam easier in the case of a double-feed situation. The lifter has a "tab" cut into it in the shape of a "U". This allows the lifter to spring somewhat and prevents a solid lockup in the case of a jam. The kit should include the lifter on the fire control, the breech bolt, the sled and the action bars. The breech bolt has a relief cut into the underside that will correspond with the lifter "U" to ease clearing. The sled, that part that the bolt rides on, and the action bars have an extra cutout, whose function I am not sure of.

Simply adding a barrel with a 3" chamber will not work. You must have the ejector removed and an ejector designed for the 3"

Is there a kit to change the ejector? Would i have to get a gunsmith to put this in?Man there is alot more to this than I thought. I was planning on shooting slug and 00 Buck shots. Thanks for all that info

[Norva]

I found out that the shotgun has had 3 inch slugs shot through it
I do plan on changing the trigger. Just need to get the barrel now

[SRG]

The Wingmaster is always a better gun than the Express. Remington spends, or spent, a little more time on quality control with these guns.

The ejector "kit" is two rivets (front is different than the rear), the ejector and the ejector spring. Special tools are required to install the ejector. Best left to a gunsmith.

Why are you changing the trigger?

[Norva]

I don't think that i will be changing the trigger now. The trigger is fine. I'm not sure how old the shotgun is. First thing that I will be doing is getting the receiver duracoated. Thanks for your post cause I've learned alot from it. I'm really new to shotguns and want to use this for 3 gun comps and for home defense.

[watchluvr4ever]

The Wingmaster is superior to the Express! I received a 12 Gauge Wingmaster Magnum from my Stepfather when I was 12. I later stupidly sold it when I needed money really badly. I kick myself almost everyday for that. :(

[Dan Goodwin]

Norva,

What does your barrel say on it? Does it say "2 3/4-in. Only"? Or words to that effect? Or does it say "3-in."?

Does it say Wingmaster of Wingmaster Magnum on the receiver?

Old Wingmasters are all steel, including the trigger groups, and are usually much smoother than Express (particularly) and newer 870Ps.

I purchased my old Narcotics Unit Wingmaster Magnum after the department traded it. It is slick as a greased weasel from being fired and dry-fired thousands of times by yours truly while it was a department gun.

The test for a slick 870: hold it barrel up and press the slide release, it ought to drop open like it's rails are greased glass.

870s are like Harleys and 1911s, all kinds of way to customize.

Just get a new, shorter barrel for defense work. You can buy a barrel straight from Hans Vang if you want tight patterns.

If you subscribe to the buckshot should spread like peanut butter school you'll want a barrel with no choke, marked "Cyl." or "Cyl. Bore".

All our new 870Ps, both 18 and 14-in. are "IC", for improved cylinder choke. Most will keep a 9-pellet Remington Low Recoil load on a B27 at 25 yards. That's more than good enough for government (or private work).

Given my druthers, I prefer zero or spreader choke with full-power buck loads that spread.

You should also try a telescoping stock before you buy one.

There's nothing wrong with a blued gun with a shortened wood stock (13-in. LOP max) for defense work.

If you really want to go tacticool experiment with Krylon first. That's what the real deal guys do in theater.

Shoot lots of clay birds to slick up your gun if it isn't. I highly recommend wobble trap/quail walk courses if you can find them. Makes you learn to pump fast while the gun is shouldered and make a second hit.